Over the past year I must admit that I’ve allowed my trials and tribulations to affect me. They came in the form of unemployment, loss of close friends and family, empty pockets and loneliness. I opened my door to depression and stress and allowed them to make themselves at home in my dwelling. Both of these visitors came in and robbed me of my joy, contentment, and my peace of mind. Those things are very valuable to me therefore I embarked on a mission to take them back, however I couldn’t do it alone. And once I gathered my possessions back they were mine to keep and those unwelcomed visitors did not have a nice cozy place to dwell in any longer.
Matthew 6:33(NLT): Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. This is definitely something I was not doing. I had my own agenda and was going to follow it regardless of what anyone said. Needless to say, I’ve learned that my agenda wasn’t the right agenda and just because I had a thought or an idea the played in your mind constantly didn’t mean that it was necessarily a sign from God. So now I have a new agenda and it’s an agenda designed by God for His purpose and its starts with first seeking Him and living righteously. Some of you may wonder how I am going about following Matthew 6:33. The Life Application Bible is an excellent tool and gives you everything you need to know in applying Gods word and principles. This bible noted 3 key things in order to carry out Matthew 6:33. First, I had to fill my thoughts with God’s desires. Notice I didn’t say my desires. That’s what I was doing at first and I was heading down a very destructive path. Second, I must take God’s character as my pattern. I can never be God however I can live a very godly life. Am I saying that I will never sin again or fall short of His glory, of course not! Third, I must obey him in everything, not some things but everything.
Depression and Stress has the ability to cause a lot of unwanted issues, however I know someone who is bigger than both of these silent killers and that is God. But first we have to accept God and welcome Him into our lives. Not only that, we must establish a relationship with Him. I can honestly say I have spent a lot of time focusing on relationships with my friends and family more so then my relationship with God. I developed a pattern of unhealthy relationships and at the end of the day there was always a void. Mark 10: 29-30 (NLT): Yes, Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brother or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and property – along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.” I am willing to give up those things in order to follow God and have eternal life. I can honestly say that accepting the persecution is going to be hard however it’s going to be worth it. And I know that if nobody else has my back, God does. At this very moment I have my joy, my contentment, and my peace of mind. And above all else I have a personal relationship with God and I am working on making it even stronger everyday. I encourage you to do the same and DO NOT allow your trials and tribulations to defeat you. Isaiah 54:17: But in the coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken. God said it and He will do just what he says.
*** This blog is over a year old however I thought I would post it ***
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